Three of Pennsylvania’s Leading, Not-for-Profit, Faith-Based Senior Living Organizations Announce Plan to Affiliate

Allegheny Lutheran Social Ministries, Liberty Lutheran Services, and Garden Spot Communities to Affiliate as Ilumin

Ilumin to Embody ‘Life With Purpose’                

NEW HOLLAND, Pa., Feb. 02, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Three of Pennsylvania’s leading, not-for-profit, faith-based senior living organizations – Allegheny Lutheran Social Ministries of Altoona, Liberty Lutheran Services of Ambler, and Garden Spot Communities of New Holland – announced today that they will affiliate under the new parent company name Ilumin.

The affiliation is subject to the receipt of certain regulatory approvals and consents, which the three organizations hope to receive by spring of 2022.

The affiliation will strengthen and benefit all three organizations and their stakeholders. Ilumin will be able to introduce innovative, new services and programs to residents, offer employees more career opportunities, and have a stronger voice in negotiating contracts with healthcare providers. 

The three organizations will share an executive leadership team, led by Steve Lindsey, current CEO of Garden Spot Communities and a recognized thought leader in senior living.

“Ilumin’s new tagline is Life With Purpose,” Lindsey said. “We will create an authentic community for our employees and those we serve, unified by a shared belief that purpose brings meaning to life. Our Lutheran and Mennonite values emphasize faith in action through serving others, and Ilumin will be the embodiment of that.”

Lindsey will be joined at the executive level by current leaders of the three affiliating organizations:

• Joan Myers from Liberty Lutheran will become Chief Operating Officer
• John Barnum from Liberty Lutheran will become Chief Financial Officer
• Lois Dostalik of ForgeWorks / Garden Spot will become Chief Culture Officer
• Scott Miller of Garden Spot will become Chief Marketing Officer
• Steve Jeffrey of Garden Spot will become Chief Strategy Officer
• Chris Reighard of ALSM will become Vice President of Finance

Ilumin will be headquartered in New Holland. Liberty Lutheran and ALSM will continue to maintain corporate offices in Ambler and Altoona, respectively.

Dr. Patricia Savage, CEO of ALSM, and Dr. Luanne Fisher, CEO of Liberty Lutheran, will step down from their positions when the affiliation takes effect this spring. Both intend to continue to serve in the not-for-profit space.

“Each of our organizations was in strong financial health, enjoyed an excellent reputation in our individual communities, and had been seeking an opportunity to affiliate with the right partners,” Dr. Savage said. “All three leaders know and respect one another extremely well. As we began to explore a potential affiliation, it became abundantly clear to us that we shared so much in common that affiliating made very good sense.”

Dr. Fisher added that the three organizations were very thorough and strategic in evaluating the potential for affiliation.

“We engaged in objective research and rigorous analysis to test the potential for this affiliation,” she said. “What it revealed – a shared passion for faith-inspired service and a strong emphasis on building vibrant cultures for our employees – confirmed the wisdom of affiliating.

“This affiliation is wonderful news for our residents and employees alike. It amplifies all the good that our three organizations bring to this new relationship.”

When the affiliation takes effect, Ilumin will rank among the 50 largest not-for-profit, senior living organizations in the nation. It will:

• Report nearly $140 million in revenue
• Serve nearly 40,000 people in 28 counties across Pennsylvania
• Offer more than 2,000 units of senior living on nine campuses as well as a variety of community-based, intergenerational services
• Employ nearly 2,000 team members

The affiliation was approved unanimously by the boards of all three organizations.

About Ilumin

When the affiliation takes effect, Ilumin will become one of the top 50 senior living organizations in the country, ranked by number of units and locations. Its 2,000 team members will serve nearly 40,000 individuals from nine campuses in 28 Pennsylvania counties. It will also offer community-based services for multiple generations. The new entity, whose tagline will be “Life With Purpose,” will be grounded by the common belief that serving individuals and families is a ministry and an outward demonstration of Christ’s love.